Manufacture of photographic films.



ND- 717,793. PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

L. M. J. ARMAN'DY. MANUFACTURE OF PHOTUGBAPHIU FILMS. APPLIGATION 21mm mm. 2, 1901. no MODEL. I

By I I m: mums Perms ca. PHOTO-H1140. WnsMmuTON, o, I;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEoN MARIE JOSEPH ARMANDY, or AsmEREs, FRANCE, ASSIGNORTO sooIETE ANONYME :oEs PRODUITS PHOTOGRAPHIGUES M. Y. or As- NIEREs, SEINE, FRANCE.

MANUFACTURE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,793, dated January 6, 1903.

Application filed December 2, 1901.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEON MARIE JosErn ARMANDY, engineer, a citizen of the Republic of France, and a resident of 3 Rue Brantome, Asnieres, Seine, Republic of France, have invented Improvements Relating to the Manufacture of Photographic Films, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to the manufacture of films for photographic purposes, and has for its object to provide improved means whereby such films may be readily detached from their support or backing.

My invention consists, essentially, in arranging between the support or backing and the sensitized film a layer of suitable material capable of imparting to the film a certain plasticity and of being readily dissolved out during the ordinary operations of developing, fixing, and washing.

1 have found that a layer of gelatin spread upon a backing or support of paper or the ing operations: I first coat the backing or support, of paper or the like, with a solution of dammar-gum in benzene, and after the evaporation of the solvent I spread upon said backing or support a solution of gelatin which may contain, according to the purposes to which it is to be applied, alum, tannin, &c., with an addition of glycerin or another simi lar substance. The similar substance just referred to may consist of sugar, honey, or gum; but these ingredients are not, properly speaking, the equivalents of the glycerin. The addition of said ingredients to the glycerin and the gelatin film produces similar ef- Serial No. 84,365- (No specimens.)

fectsthat is, the incorporation of the sugar, honey, and gum or a mixture of them into the gelatin serves to give the necessary plasticity to the gelatin, and such admixture causes the gelatinous coating or film to adhere to the support or backing which is supplied with the resinous coating heretofore described. These divers products are eliminated by the different baths to which the photographic film is subjected during development, 850., and the elimination of the adhesive agents serves to permit the gelatin film to again assume after desiccation its natural rigidity and to detach itself sponta neously from'the backing or support. This produces a perfect. adherence between the backing or support and the gelatin even after complete drying, and the product thus obtained can be readily preserved without experiencing any alteration, provided it is kept dry. The material may be folded, rolled, receives other layers-for example, sensitive photographic coatings-Without separation taking place and without losing any of its suppleness. When the product thus obtained is subjected to the various photographic baths, the glycerin or similar product which has been incorporated in the gelatin is eliminated from the latter, and after drying the said gelatin, which then has returned to its original condition, constitutes a stiff sheet and spontaneously abandons the backing or support. p

According to the difierent results it is desired to obtain, my process may comprise also the following operations: When coating a backing or support of paper or the like with a covering of gelatin, whether or not it has first been coated with gum or resin, the gelatin in drying reproduces exactly the grain of the paper or the like, and the film used as a positive or negative for printing again reproduces it. In order to avoid this objection, I apply to the backin g or support a preliminary coating of gum-lac dissolved either in a solution of boraX or in a solution of sodium carbonate, ammonium carbonate, or other similar alkaline substance. This first dressing prevents the grain of the backing or support being reproduced in the subsequent coatings.

The gelatin coating, however perfect it may be, presents irregularities which prejudice the appearance of the photographic picture obtained by means of this negative printingfilm or of the positive transparent picture, and therefore necessitates the use of a paper or matted glass for a backing or lining. I am enabled to avoid the said objection by depolishing the gelatin coating. For this purpose I add to the gelatin either starch, arrowroot, or any fecula or the precipitate of barium sulfate produced in the mass or, better,

added after the complete purification by washing. This addition may be made either in the gelatin only or also in the superposed sensitive coating or film. Lastly, I obtain superior results in forming coatings upon the backing or supp0rt1l. e., by covering the latter with a preliminary gelatin layer, to which is added barium sulfate strongly alumed and glazing in a calendering-roller the said preliminary coating. According to my mode of manufacture the successive coatings are applied either with a brush or by dipping or mechanically by means of a machine and according to the methods used in the manufactu re of coated papers or photographic papers.

In the drawings herein annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my stripping photographic film. Fig. 2 is a like view of backing after separation thereof from the gelatin film, and Fig. 3 is a like View of the gelatin film.

A designates the pliable backing, which may be of paper, tissue, or any other suitable material to form the support. On this backing or support is adapted to be spread a layer of gum-lac varnish, (indicated at 13,) and over said layer B is applied the coating 0, having a resinous base.

D designates the gelatin film, and E is the sensitized coating thereon.

The photographic film may be exposed and developed in the usual way, and after the operation is completed the film separates into two distinct parts, one of which is shown by Fig. 2 and the other by Fig. 3. One part consists of the paper support, the varnish layer, and the resinous coating, while the other part is composed of the gelatin film having the sensitized surface.

I claim- 1. An improved process of manufacturing photographic films, which consists in spreading upon a backing a stripping layer composed of a gummy solution, spreading upon said stripping layer a layer of gelatin mixed with an adhesive soluble substance which imparts the required suppleness thereto, and spreading upon said gelatin layer a sensitized film.

2. A process of making photographic films, which consists in spreading upon a backing a stripping layer composed of a gummy solution, spreading upon said stripping layer a layer of gelatin mixed with an adhesive soluble substance, subjecting the gelatin coating to the action of a depolishing agent, and spreading upon the gelatin layer a sensitized film.

3. A process of making photographic films, which consists in producing a polished surface on a backing, spreading thereon a layer of gelatin mixed with an adhesive soluble substance which imparts the required suppleness thereto, and applying upon said gelatin layer a sensitized film.

t. A process of making photographic films, which consists in producing a polished surface on a suitable backing by applying thereto a coating of gum-lac varnish; applying a resinous coating; spreading on said resinous coating a layer of gelatin mixed with an adhesive soluble substance which imparts the required suppleness thereto, and spreading upon said gelatin layer a sensitized film.

The foregoing specification of my improvements relating to the manufacture of photographic films signed by me this 19th day of November, 1901.

LEON MARIE JOSEPH ARMANDY.

Witnesses:

EDWARD P. MACLEAN, IVIAURIGE H. PIGNET. 

